Published: Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 10:25 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 10:25 p.m.

She wanted a show of support as she reminded the community that when deputies fatally shot him, much of the light went out of her life.

Only a few people showed up at what she had hoped would be a more impressive gathering.

I'm hoping that is actually a good sign.

When it happened last year, Mitchell's death caused concerns and questions, as it should have. He was a nice guy by all accounts, a 23-year-old father and recent college grad hoping to become a teacher, with no history of criminal violence.

About the worst that could honestly be said before that fatal night was he had lost his license in an out-of-state DUI, but kept driving despite a judge's firm warning to stop.

Mitchell, you might recall — though that might depend on what neighborhood you live in — was shot to death in north Sarasota after Deputy Adam Shaw stopped him for allegedly failing to wear a seatbelt.

When Mitchell suddenly hit the gas to speed away from the traffic stop, the Jeep SUV narrowly missed Sgt. Troy Sasse, who was there as backup.

Both deputies quickly fired two shots from close range, through the SUV's windows. Sasse fired the fatal shot from so close that shatter fragments cut his own face.

Some accounts asserted that Mitchell tried to run over Sasse, but evidence seems to indicate that, though it seemed that way to the deputies, Mitchell tried to steer around them and just wanted to avoid jail for driving with a suspended license.

Because he was wearing his seat belt when he died, and his only passenger said Mitchell was wearing it all along, many people charged afterward that the belt accusation was a racial profiling fraud.

Mitchell was black and had dreadlocks, and so looked like someone many cops might want to stop on any excuse. An unused seat belt — real, imagined — always works just fine for that.

"Why did they stop my son?" Natasha Clemons asked me Friday. "It was racial profiling," she said, answering her own question, and she is sure of it.

I wish I could say she is wrong, and that, as a grieving mom who can't stop thinking things like that, she is jumping to conclusions. Unfortunately, the odds seem too good that she is right.

But whatever the motive for the stop, that isn't what caused her son's death. It was his panicked and dangerous decision to drive away that did that.

I hope anyone looking for lessons from this needless tragedy will learn that one first and foremost.

Again: No matter why you are stopped, you can't do what Mitchell did, ever. There is no way it works out well.

That was discussed after Mitchell's death last year at community forums and meetings with law officers. It was explained that drivers are always free to suspect the worst about why a traffic stop was made, and to argue about it later in court. But right or wrong, it is always akin to suicide to endanger armed law officers with that sort of escape attempt.

I suspect many people who didn't show up at the Sheriff's Office gathering wanted to support Mitchell's grieving mother. But maybe they also fear giving young people the bad idea, that if they do something similarly rash and dangerous and wrong, their community will rally behind them and blame police for whatever happens.

Rodney Mitchell wanted to be a teacher, and I'm guessing he would prefer that his senseless death be used to teach a very different lesson. How about: Don't run from police, don't endanger them, and don't put yourself in a situation where you would even be tempted.

Tom Lyons can be contacted at tom.lyons@heraldtribune.com or (941) 361-4964.

<p>Rodney Mitchell's mother hoped a crowd would join her outside the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office Friday morning.</p><p>She wanted a show of support as she reminded the community that when deputies fatally shot him, much of the light went out of her life.</p><p>Only a few people showed up at what she had hoped would be a more impressive gathering.</p><p>I'm hoping that is actually a good sign. </p><p>When it happened last year, Mitchell's death caused concerns and questions, as it should have. He was a nice guy by all accounts, a 23-year-old father and recent college grad hoping to become a teacher, with no history of criminal violence. </p><p>About the worst that could honestly be said before that fatal night was he had lost his license in an out-of-state DUI, but kept driving despite a judge's firm warning to stop.</p><p>Mitchell, you might recall — though that might depend on what neighborhood you live in — was shot to death in north Sarasota after Deputy Adam Shaw stopped him for allegedly failing to wear a seatbelt. </p><p>When Mitchell suddenly hit the gas to speed away from the traffic stop, the Jeep SUV narrowly missed Sgt. Troy Sasse, who was there as backup.</p><p>Both deputies quickly fired two shots from close range, through the SUV's windows. Sasse fired the fatal shot from so close that shatter fragments cut his own face.</p><p>Some accounts asserted that Mitchell tried to run over Sasse, but evidence seems to indicate that, though it seemed that way to the deputies, Mitchell tried to steer around them and just wanted to avoid jail for driving with a suspended license.</p><p>Because he was wearing his seat belt when he died, and his only passenger said Mitchell was wearing it all along, many people charged afterward that the belt accusation was a racial profiling fraud.</p><p>Mitchell was black and had dreadlocks, and so looked like someone many cops might want to stop on any excuse. An unused seat belt — real, imagined — always works just fine for that.</p><p>"Why did they stop my son?" Natasha Clemons asked me Friday. "It was racial profiling," she said, answering her own question, and she is sure of it.</p><p>I wish I could say she is wrong, and that, as a grieving mom who can't stop thinking things like that, she is jumping to conclusions. Unfortunately, the odds seem too good that she is right.</p><p>But whatever the motive for the stop, that isn't what caused her son's death. It was his panicked and dangerous decision to drive away that did that. </p><p>I hope anyone looking for lessons from this needless tragedy will learn that one first and foremost. </p><p>Again: No matter why you are stopped, you can't do what Mitchell did, ever. There is no way it works out well.</p><p>That was discussed after Mitchell's death last year at community forums and meetings with law officers. It was explained that drivers are always free to suspect the worst about why a traffic stop was made, and to argue about it later in court. But right or wrong, it is always akin to suicide to endanger armed law officers with that sort of escape attempt.</p><p>I suspect many people who didn't show up at the Sheriff's Office gathering wanted to support Mitchell's grieving mother. But maybe they also fear giving young people the bad idea, that if they do something similarly rash and dangerous and wrong, their community will rally behind them and blame police for whatever happens.</p><p>Rodney Mitchell wanted to be a teacher, and I'm guessing he would prefer that his senseless death be used to teach a very different lesson. How about: Don't run from police, don't endanger them, and don't put yourself in a situation where you would even be tempted.</p><p><i></p><p>Tom Lyons can be contacted at tom.lyons@heraldtribune.com or (941) 361-4964.</i></p>